


better off again (worse for wear)

by theriveroflight



Series: just off the key of reason [2]
Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Character Study, F/M, because he's interesting and I can write about him, but nothing's changed really it's just from crowfeather's pov, of crowfeather, the main characters are Crowfeather and Leafpool, the new prophecy rewrite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-12
Updated: 2018-06-12
Packaged: 2019-05-21 12:54:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14915753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theriveroflight/pseuds/theriveroflight
Summary: Leafpool and Crowfeather looked at each other, and decided in a split second.Neither could abandon their Clan so callously, especially Leafpool. Crowfeather was not as partial to his Clanmates. But he could tell that Leafpool was torn between him and her Clan.He would let her choose.





	better off again (worse for wear)

**Author's Note:**

> Again, this entire series of one-shots is inspired by Fall Out Boy's "Hum Hallelujah."  
> Written in preparation for Crowfeather's Trial.  
> Did Crowfeather love her? He certainly did, at one point.  
> This covers the rest of The New Prophecy arc.  
> Next up is the events of After Sunset: We Need to Talk, Leafpool's Wish (kind of) and Power of Three.

The two often walked in a companionable silence. That was how they knew each other. At first, it had been the crowd pushing and shoving until they found their friends. However, as the Great Journey went on, the two seemed to be pushed towards each other more often to the point where neither knew it was coincidence anymore. They were gravitating towards each other.

That wasn't necessarily a bad thing in Leafpaw's eyes. The medicine cat apprentice was slowly falling in love with the ordinarily gruff warrior. The two of them often walked in companionable silence; it still felt like they knew each other better than anyone else knew them. They were Leafpaw and Crowfeather, and they were unstoppable as they walked together.

Or at least that's how Leafpaw thought about it, romanticizing their nonexistent interactions.

Crowfeather felt guilty about it. He felt as though he was betraying Feathertail's memory by doing this. He would remember and look upon her, still lovestruck by the silver tabby and refusing to let go.

His name was supposed to be closure; it was a reminder instead. Why? Why had he named himself after Feathertail? Why did Tallstar agree to it? Either way, he felt himself gravitating towards Leafpaw, and he just felt guilty about it.

* * *

 

They had found the lake.

Over the journey, he had been growing closer and closer to Leafpaw. Even as his grief faded and he knew that Feathertail wouldn't want this. (If he was being honest, that was the only reason he had gotten over the she-cat. He knew it.)

Was he falling in love with Leafpaw? He didn't know. He wanted to. He didn't want to. He didn't know, because in a mess of feeling guilty for moving on so quickly and falling in love with someone else- wasn't that a bit too much?

"There should have been six cats," he says as he faces the cats that he had traveled with.

"There was always supposed to be four. The fact that there was six only meant that we needed to be whittled down to four unwillingly." He doesn't know who said that, as he wasn't paying attention, but he knows that.

"Their memory will forever burn bright in our minds," another cat says. He looks to the mountains.

"Remembering sometimes isn't enough," he murmurs, thinking aloud.

* * *

"Tallstar died last night."

The news hit him like a Twoleg monster.

Mudclaw was lifting his head, excited to lead as the next leader of WindClan.

"As he died, he named Onewhisker as his new deputy."

Outrage poured all over the Clan as Mudclaw stepped up.

"Who would believe the word of two  _ ThunderClan _ cats?! They could be doing this for their own gain - Onewhisker was once a friend to Firestar, and the two could be betraying us for their own gain."

Before he could process it all, Crowfeather stepped forwards.

"I'd believe them. Onewhisker, I wish you well as leader of WindClan."

* * *

Ashfoot was named as Onewhisker's deputy. He wondered when Mudclaw, denied leadership and bitter about it, would act. Or if he would act about it at all.

They settled into their new camps, but there was one thing wrong. Morningflower was severely ill, and every cat (including Barkface) was afraid that she would die.

Leafpaw, the self-righteous medicine apprentice and Firestar's daughter, had clearly inherited some traits from her father in coming to the camp.

He was angry. After the journey, he was trying to say that he didn't love the brown tabby. He was trying to deny everything. He was mad and utterly in love at the same time.

And then the realization struck him - he was angry because he was in love and didn't want to be.

* * *

WindClan was being torn apart by Tallstar's decision. He didn't know if it was right, but he trusted Brambleclaw, at least. He was uncertain about Firestar and he had the right to be.   


It was only a matter of time before it completely blew over.

Crowfeather was right, and he didn't take pleasure in being right. They were fighting. The infighting was deplorable, in his eyes. There was a lot going on. Currently, he was chasing two ShadowClan warriors and - StarClan, no - saw them plow into Leafpool.   


Time seemed to slow down as she scrambled backwards, about to fall into the camp.   


He was sprinting in slow motion, putting his WindClan blood and training to use.   


He wouldn't make it, he wouldn't make it, he wouldn't-   


He grabbed the medicine cat by the scruff and pulled her up.   


"I wouldn't let you fall."   


She breathlessly replied that she wouldn't either.   


"But I've already fallen for you."   


"I can't love you," she whispered, though it was filled with conviction, as though she was trying to convince herself.   


He looked towards his paws.   


Crowfeather was torn.   


He wanted a future with Leafpool, but he was caught in the what-ifs of Feathertail.   


* * *

Life went on, as normal.   


He couldn't stop thinking about Leafpool.   


That was the abnormality of his life now, so settled into their surprisingly idyllic new life.   


At a Gathering, she talked to him.   


They spoke, and they decided to meet again. They were going to see each other again!   


Crowfeather was practically euphoric at this point.   


* * *

The WindClan warrior wasn't living for himself anymore.   


The meetings were a thrill; he was addicted to it. He didn't live from day to day anymore, he lived from meeting to meeting.

His own words catch him off guard. "Would...you leave the Clans with me? That's the only way we'll be together."   


The soft-spoken medicine cat responds that she would.   


However, both cats were unaware of someone lurking nearby. The ThunderClan medicine cat, Cinderpelt, interrupted them.   


Crowfeather slunk away, but heard shouting from Cinderpelt in the distance about how Leafpool was throwing away everything she had ever known for a WindClan cat.   


* * *

Leafpool, it appears, had made her decision.   


At their next meeting, the two had ran away together. It was a thrill to the warrior, in love with the idea of Leafpool.   


Night approached quickly. Just as they were about to stop, exhaustion clouding the thrill of being together at last, a figure approached them. He stepped in front of Leafpool, prepared to defend his love if the need came to them.   


It was Midnight.   


“What...are you doing here?” Crowfeather wondered aloud.   


“Come to warn you, I must.”   


The couple looked at Midnight.   


“Badger-speak that they attack cats. Badger-speak is violent - as is fox-speak. Rabbit-speak is nothing but grass. Cat-speak is much more poetic.”   


“So, your fellow badgers are coming to attack us?”   


“Fellow they are not. I am an outcast.”   


Leafpool and Crowfeather looked at each other, and decided in a split second.   


Neither could abandon their Clan so callously, especially Leafpool. Crowfeather was not as partial to his Clanmates. But he could tell that Leafpool was torn between him and her Clan.   


He would let her choose.   


He thought she chose him, but if she chose her Clan, then so be it. He would be heartbroken, but he was already starting to develop a friendship with a WindClan she-cat.   


**Author's Note:**

> Midnight, surprisingly, was the hardest character to write. So, if I wrote her inaccurately (or any of the characters, really) call me out on it. I'm not afraid of it.
> 
> Next up is one featuring Crowfeather/Nightcloud. And yes, Nightcloud IS the "friend" Crowfeather mentioned at the end. I headcanon that the only thing he ever felt for her was platonic love, and Nightcloud loved him at first, but it eventually developed into total hatred as events progressed into the relationship we all know and hate today.
> 
> Edit: I changed the title as headcanons changed and Crowfeather reflects in the third installment. Still fits. Still a song lyric.


End file.
